[Kenpilot]

So how long before Halloween does everyone stop cutting their grass and let their shrubs grow for the whole "abandoned and forgotten" look? Just curious

 

[Otaku]

I'd do it if I could, but the HOA will jump on me. I tried it a couple of years ago - you never heard so much noise. They even panic when I request that the automated lawn sprinklers be turned off for a couple of days so my wiring is kept dry and safe for the TOTs.

 

[Dr.Ghoul]

Usually when I cut the grass around the first week of October, I don't have to cut it anymore until the spring because it doens't grow much till then, so I don't have to take down my decor constantly.

 

[The Joker]

HA! Good question Ken! I think it depends on how much rain we get up to that point. If it's been kind of dry, I'll stop cutting three weeks before my party. It really adds to the look and hides the cords. If we've been getting a lot of rain, I might cut two weeks before. Otherwise I'll have a jungle and it actually detracts from the overall look.

I'm curious to see what others do.

 

[Killed by Death]

I can't bring myself to do it. I've worked so hard and so long to get the grass looking the way it does that it just irritates me if it gets even a little too high.

 

[Kenpilot]

Definitely sucks to have a HOA that won't cooperate. Luckily I don't have one and yet the neighbors still keep up their yards. Most of my neighbors know its that time of year when my grass starts to get a little tall Debating on not cutting it anymore or giving it a nice short cut and hopefully will grow back pretty tall before the big night

 

[TK421]

No matter what I do, my lawn usually gets patchy in August due to heat, direct sun, and lack of water. September is usually a month where I just nurse the front yard back to health.

I usually mow the yard the first weekend in October and then start putting things out. Once tombstones and ground breakers are in place, I don't mow anymore.

 

[The Pod]

I'll try to chop it short the first week of October. Once I've gotten props set out there I don't cut it again until after Halloween. All depends upon the weather, to how fast the grass grows.

 

[UnOrthodOx]

Well, my yard is a walk through. And, we get 500+ ToT's, plus parents...

I've found the best means of having the lawn get destroyed by the traffic is to cut it short the week of halloween. (used to be a day before, but I have too much stuff to set up in just a day these days) This also helps eliminate anyone tripping on longer grass.

Our second hear, I had a circle path in the yard, and we had that circle visible most of the following year, due to the trampling.

 

[dariusobells]

I cut my weeds (they only pretend to be a lawn) the week before Oct 1 and then let it go. it usually gets mowed/mulched the week after Halloween as well

 

[Barbarella]

Whenever I've set up at my parent's place, I try to tell them not to cut the lawn, but regardless, I always take a few bags of fallen leaves (and some from my neighbour's lawn as well) and toss them all over anyway! Leaves, leaves everywhere- that's the look I love...and it hides the bases of props and extension cords so well!

 

[Curlgoddess]

Last year my husband insisted on my not putting out decorations until the middle of Oct., so that he could cut the grass.

This year, I think that I have him convinced to let it go throughout October. A freshly cut lawn doesn't give the effect that I'm going for =(

 

[hauntedgraveyard]

Where I live, the last grass cutting of the season is around the first week in October. If the grass was left long and too many leaves were on the ground, the rodents (mice, voles, shrews etc) will be attracted to the area and will nest in the area over winter, that means when the snow melts, it is hole city on the lawn. One year when the back yard was left too long it was awful in the spring.

So even if I wanted to have the unkept look (I do leave many leaves on the lawn) we really can't due to our weather. We are just happy if the kids don't have to wear snowsuits under their costumes!!

 

[Erebus]

We usually tell the lawn guy to not mow the front yard the first weekend of Oct. I will put up main small fence that blocks the yard between the sidewalk and the house and not mow any of that. But I will keep up the small part between the sidewalk and the street. I put up my big fence the day before halloween because it is 7 feet tall and don't know how the city will act about it. But when that fence goes up, you really can't tell about the small area anyways.